Tell that to the resort owners on Mille Lacs, if they weren't so angry, they'd probably laugh at you.

My opinion is shaped by my experiences, and my experiences have shown that many fish that are netted or speared go to waste instead of going to a dinner table.

If they want to put fish on the dinner table, there is no reason why they shouldn't catch their fish like everyone else does. Creating separate rules for people based on race is wrong, no matter what the history is.

MetroWalleye,

Are you speaking on behalf of the Mille Lacs Resort Owners?

No I'm not. But I've seen plenty of them quoted in news stories, and the story is always the same. They are hurting and many of them are saying that netting by Native Americans is hurting their business. The pound allotment for anglers has gone down 142,000 lbs this season, but has gone up 22,500 lbs for the Mille Lacs Band. Fair? I don't think so.

If you don't believe me, stop by a resort along 169 or 47 and ask them.

Here is an article written by Dennis Anderson (Star Tribune) back in January that pretty much sums up my opinion on this topic.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdoors/15090121.html

Something that I think some folks are forgetting is that their fishing and how they do it is right grant by the federal govt, ours is a paid for privilege from the state. The feds are always going to supersede the state. And to reiterate this was an agreement for them to give up their land peacefully many years ago, so now it is inconvenient for some and we should repeal it? I personally wouldn't want to go back on my word like that.

Here is a news feed from the Minnesota DNR
http://news.dnr.state.mn.us/index.php/20...through-may-16/

If taking walleyes when they are concentrated during the spawn was no big deal, then they would never have a closed season or create special emergency measures such as this.

Why should I care what the resort owners think or feel? They run a business if they fail thats their problem not mine. They have no say in this matter, and they shouldn't.

As for your experience with wasted fish. I see the same thing from anglers.

If for some reason the walleye population tanks then we are all to blame.

As for the original question "What can be done?" The answer is nothing. This whole get the state reps. involved is a waste of yours and their time. I get the impression from many of you that this isn't only about netting. Look, it's stated in the treaty that the Native Americans are allowed to net. This is part of our history, and it's so much bigger than you and me. I never wanted to bring this up before but I feel many choose not to understand that much of the land that was given to the Natives was taken through trickery, fraud, intimidation, and even theft. Some of this activity was from our own government. So why is the netting such a big deal to you guys? Allowing a small number of people to net is a small price to pay for the mistakes our government has made.

What would happen if the state would stop stocking the lake with our tax dollars???? Or better yet why not stock a lake that is not within the Indian boundary?

I guess when gas hits $8 a gallon, Mille Lacs might as well be like Red because Im not driving that far

Fact check. Call the MN DNR and GLIFWC and ask who is stocking lakes in the ceded territory. Particularly ML

For the people on here who want to no what gives them the right to nett on this post heres a little hint. Look down no matter where your at in north America that piece of land your standing on was one time "Indian" land(I hate the term we are not indians). Threw a series of treaties (Some hornored and some not) it became in the possesion of the United States. We gave up alot for this country! And for us to retain only a small percent of what we used to own should outrage a few people is obsurd! That news story should have a follow up and show where that fish goes! The people dont go threw all that hard work just to waste the fish! It feeds elders and is used at ceremonies and funerals. Some of you should just realize ( or understand)what the ojibway gave up. Maybe it might help you cope with all this. thanks

The Mn DNR stocks Mille Lacs with muskies only, nothing else. Some of the other lakes in the ceded territory are stocked with walleyes, muskies etc.

That was my point.

I think the beef is with how the netting is done. Are the nets, boats, and other apparatus handcrafted as would have been "traditional"? It would seem to me that that would be a big part of the process and method. I have no problem with netting, but put the whole package together. I am big on keeping traditions alive, and I don't begrudge any human what is rightly theirs. Rest assured we are all ancestors of the people who were either wronged or did the wronging. To be sure, there will always be a few people who spoil it for anyone, I don't care what color or heritage they come from. I think everyone learned a big lesson with the walleye collapse on Upper and Lower Red- Nobody wants that to happen again, and it probably won't. But, if it does, we have proven that by working together the problem can be solved. With luck and good graces, and also good management, we will all enjoy good harvests on Mille Lacs!

I've been fishing for over 35 years, and have never seen fish wasted by anglers to this degree.



How can "we all" be to blame, if "we" are only keeping two fish, while the netters can take over 700 lbs each with zero regards to size and type of fish?



The easiest way to get someone to shut-up you don't agree with when you are talking about different cultures or races, is to call them a racist. I'm not a racist, and my opinion has nothing to do with race. It's about fundamental fairness. The argument can be made that the real racists are the people who want different rules for people based on their racial heritage. I'm not one of those people.



I'm very aware of the injustices that the Native Americans have suffered at the hands of our govt over the past couple hundred years. I think most people are. But like I said before, two wrongs don't make a right. We've seen the harmful effects of tribal netting on lakes, and to simply stand by and not say anything while our fisheries are being damaged is ludicrous.

Why can't the Native American tribes develop a better way of netting fish? With the advances in technology couldn't a net be developed that would only take the smaller walleyes and nothern, in other words, the better eating fish? If they could leave the big breeding females alone as well as the big pike and musky, it wouldn't be so bad, IMO.

Most of us are extremely aware of the injustices suffered by the Native Americans over the past few hundred years....but answer this question, don't you see the harm that netting can do to a lake, as evidenced by what happened at Red Lake? In a year when walleye counts are down, and the anglers have had their pound allotment cut close to 150,000 lbs, how can you justify the taking of an ADDITIONAL 22,500 lbs by netting? Don't you see the potential harm to the lake for future anglers and netters, alike?